Following the media interest in various projects in and around Cardigan Island in the late 80’s with the South Ceredigion branch of the then Dyfed Wildlife Trust (now the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales). We were trialling introductions of Puffins to Cardigan Island using concrete decoys and automatic acoustic lures for Manx Shearwaters.
Bob Bulgin of Bulgin Electronics based in Dagenham, became extremely interested in supporting these ventures supplying waterproof connectors for the electronics in the solar-powered solid-state recorder and associated electronics used in the acoustic lure so as to survive this extremely harsh maritime environment.
The project was also supported by RAE Aberporth who assisted with air lifting the equipment to Cardigan Island for us with a Sea King helicopter from the Rotary Wing Test Squadron, Boscombe Down who were currently working on the range at the time.
Both projects were wound down when the large population of Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the Island received IUCN Red List status and protection.
Bob became a great supporter of the work of the Trust assisting again with electronic equipment on the Countryside Council for Wales’s first major contract to the Dyfed Wildlife Trust surveying the grey seal population in West Wales from Aberystwyth in the North to Tenby in the South. The Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) ‘Seal Survey’ was fitted out exclusively with Bulgin waterproof connectors on the navigational aids and VHF radio’s.
Bob’s generosity extended to assisting the Dyfed Wildlife Trust fundraising double decker bus built to raise awareness and raise funds for a Marine Conservation Officer. When I suggested it would be good to have animated dolphins on the side appearing out of the sea, the bus was invited up to Dagenham where two engineers were allocated to the task to design and build the pneumatically powered mechanism all free of charge.
Bob was also responsible for forging links with Dean Bernal in the Turks and Caicos Islands who built a very special and close relationship with a solitary bottlenose dolphin, ‘JoJo’. Dean later came over to the UK to support the Dyfed Wildlife Trust fundraising double decker bus appearing on many TV shows helping with our campaign.
The tour finished with an illustrated talk at the prestigious Royal Geographical Society in London and later in Cardigan Theatre for the volunteers who helped build and paint the bus.
In his retirement Bob Bulgin was heavily involved with British Divers Marine Life Rescue setting up the original team in the region and was also the chairman of the RNLI in Port Isaac, Cornwall, raising over half a million pounds for their cause, a true gentleman who will be sadly missed.
Rod Penrose and Lin Gander. Formerly DWT South Ceredigion section volunteers.
